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Thursday, February 7, 2019

Phils Acquire Realmuto in Trade with Marlins

2019 Chachi New Additions #7

2019 Chachi Departures #9

On Thursday afternoon, the Phillies acquired All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Miami Marlins for catcher Jorge Alfaro, along with pitching prospects Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart. The Phillies also sent $250,000 in international bonus slot money to the Marlins. Realmuto's arrival indicates the Phillies are ready to graduate from the rebuilding phase to the contending phase. Could a major free agent signing be next for the club?

Realmuto is signed through the 2020 season. In the past five seasons with the Marlins, he's averaged 18 home runs and 73 RBIs per season - numbers that will hopefully increase in the hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. Even if the Phillies don't land one of either Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, the offseason acquisitions of Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen, David Robertson and other key bullpen pieces instantly make the Phillies a better team (at least on paper) heading into 2019.

Realmuto has been a regular in all Topps sets since 2015, and his most recent card can be found in the recently released 2019 Topps Series 1.

Jorge Alfaro leaves the Phillies after one full season with the club, although he saw time with the Phillies in 2016 and 2017. In 143 games with the Phillies, Alfaro hit .270 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs. Alfaro's departure means that Jerad Eickhoff and Nick Williams are the last two remaining out of the six players the Phillies acquired from the Rangers in July 2015 for Cole Hamels. My Alfaro baseball card collection (2015-2018) stands at 58 different cards.

2018 Topps HeritageMinor League #211

2018 Choice LakewoodBlueClaws #27

Hopefully Sanchez, regarding as the team's top pitching prospect, won't come back to haunt the Phillies. He made it up to High-A Clearwater last season, and we're likely a few years away from seeing him in a Marlins uniform. Stewart was impressive with the Low-A Lakewood BlueClaws last season, starting 20 games and going 8-1 with a 2.06 ERA. I've accumulated 14 Sanchez cards over the past two seasons, and the only two cards I have for Stewart are from recent minor league team sets.